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  3. Historians credit repeated locust invasions in the nineteenth century with reshaping United States agriculture west of the Missi

Historians credit repeated locust invasions in the nineteenth century with reshaping United States agriculture west of the Missi

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问题 Historians credit repeated locust invasions in the nineteenth century with reshaping United States agriculture west of the Mississippi River. Admonished by government entomologists, farmers began to diversify. Wheat had come to nearly monopolize the
line region, but it was particularly vulnerable to the locusts. In 1873, just before the locusts’
5 most withering offensive, nearly two-thirds of Minnesota farmland was producing wheat; by the invasions’ last year, that fraction had dropped to less than one-sixth. Farmers learned that peas and beans were far less vulnerable to the insects, and corn was a more robust grain than wheat. In addition to planting alternative crops, many farmers turned to dairy and beef production. Although pastures were often damaged
10 by the locusts, these lands were almost always left in better shape than the crops were.
Description
The passage explains how the damage caused by repeated invasions of locusts in the nineteenth century caused farmers west of the Mississippi River to diversify. Since wheat, the dominant crop in the region, was especially susceptible to damage from locusts, it made sense for farmers to lower their wheat production and raise their production of other crops and animals less vulnerable to locust invasions.
In the context in which it appears, "robust"(line 8)most nearly means
选项 A、crude
B、demanding
C、productive
D、vigorous
E、rich
答案D
解析 In discussing the advantages of less vulnerable crops, the author describes corn as "robust." Of the choices presented, "vigorous" is most similar in meaning to "robust." Neither "crude" nor "demanding" is an advantage, and although being "productive" or "rich" might be desirable, neither matches the meaning of "robust" in this context. Therefore, Choice D is the correct answer.
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